Most people ask about Barcelona when thinking of Spain, Madrid is almost an afterthought. People will ask is Madrid even worth visiting. After visiting the city for nine plus days I can attest to its worthiness. Although I will preface this by saying it was not my absolute favorite place in Europe, and I have no dreams of living there, there was a certain comfort and a fun factor about it. The city was not only beautiful, like most European cities, but also huge and great to explore. A week might not be enough to discover it, but you certainly will get a feel for the location.
In a nutshell Madrid is worth visiting because it has everything great that most Mediterranean cities have. Amazing food, a beautiful landscape, and more culture than you can ever ask for. Also, Vermouth… lots of Vermouth. Madrid might be worth visiting just for this drink, I drank so much of that stuff that I woke to my liver holding a knife to my throat. It is funny how this city is sometimes overlooked by American tourists.
Whether you make it the focal point of your trip or just a part of your journey, I cannot imagine you will be disappointed with the location. This is not to say there aren’t some drawbacks, I will write about those in a future article. Here I will focus on the positives and there are plenty of them. Below is why I assure you Madrid is worth visiting.
Madrid is a Beautiful City
It had been years since I visited Europe, a world-wide pandemic will do that, I guess. I had forgotten just how beautiful the cities on that continent are. Madrid is no exception. My neck hurt worse than a two-dollar hooker from looking up so much. The architecture is something to be seen. I loved just spending my days walking around admiring what the city has to offer.
Maybe it didn’t have that old Roman feel like Italy or Croatia, but streets like Gran Vía still offered one of the best atmospheres in the world. It is its own city, with its own style. My room was on the top floor of the hotel. I would wake up every morning to an amazing view of the city. Madrid is worth visiting for its ambiance alone.
To make it even better, they were setting up for Christmas, now the lights weren’t lit, but I was able to get the idea of what I was going to miss. I guess Europe isn’t like the United States and they don’t show Christmas lights in August. Madrid is one of the more beautiful cities I have been to and cleaner (but not totally clean) than a lot of cities in Europe.
The Food in Madrid is Excellent
You know the city must look amazing if I am mentioning the food second. Still, not to be outdone, the food in Madrid was outstanding. It was also plentiful. Every time I take a trip overseas it has me asking a lot of questions. This time it was, how does a land locked city have so much great seafood? I ate a lot of foods I had never tried before on this trip to Madrid. Most of which I loved, but my stomach was in a pact with my liver to get even with me for all the damage I had done.
So, what did I eat in Madrid. The usual, I took out entire continents worth of Anchovies. Had Churros, but only once, I can’t start my day off with heavy chocolate, it would take too much room. The Jamon was eaten by the pound full, I think the country almost ran out by the time I was finished. Sorry Peta.
There are a lot of foods that are unique to Madrid (or Spain). I skipped the fried squid sandwich (Bocadillo de Calamares) but ate a ton of egg dishes. This included of course the famous tortilla from Casa Dani. As a side it is nothing like it was on Somebody feed Phil. There was a huge line and wait.
My favorite dish was huevos rotos con jamon. Broken egg over potatoes with jamon blanketing the eggs (sometimes I paired it with Seafood). If you eat one dish in this country, get this one. More on the food of Madrid in later posts. The best part about the food besides its taste was how inexpensive it was. Cheaper alcohol and no tipping really keep the cost down.
Their Vermouth game is also on point. I never would have imagined drinking it straight, but some people were like wizards in their cocktail creation. In the San Miguel Market, there is a stand that has it on tap, which is fabulous Although not the best one I have had. Madrid, Spain is worth visiting for the food alone.
There is a lot of Culture, History, and Activities
If your idea of fun is getting drunk and seeing old beautiful art, Spain has you covered. The museums are top notch almost (but not really) on par with Paris, France. The Museo del Prado is world renowned, with works from Dalí, El Greco, Monet, Picasso and more. Really Madrid is worth visiting for this spot alone. This is only one of many fantastic museums, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is also another good option. I can keep going, bottom line if you love art Madrid is worth visiting.
Then there are the activities that are uniquely Madrid. A Flamingo dancing show was surprisingly fun and interesting. The dancers were talented, and it was very entertaining. The history in Madrid is strong and just walking the city a seeing sites like the Temple of Debod can be a fun day. This Temple was a gift from Egypt and wasn’t stolen, that is saying a lot for Europe. Of course, the Royal palace also needs to be part of your itinerary. The palace is a work of art by itself, and I believe it doesn’t even get taxpayer money these days. See Great Britain it is possible! Hell, this city even sports the oldest restaurant in the world.
The parks are some of the bests I have seen, particularly Retiro Park, it is a must visit. Giant statues and monuments throughout this park make you feel as if you are walking in a different time. I ponder what it must be like to live in a spot like this, as opposed to Charlotte, NC. Just pure culture, history and beauty at your fingertips, that goes for miles. I hope the people of the city appreciate what they have.
It is Just a Great Atmosphere
Aside from the actual look of the city, the energy of Madrid is a great one. Europe and Spain in general just have a vibe about them that I love. I know I am on vacation when I am visiting, but you get a sense about how laid back and fun focused the people are. The bars and restaurants are always packed, even the ones off the beaten track. Everyone looks happy. That makes a difference.
The city has a distinct personality and a comfort level to it. I went to Paris and Madrid on this trip. Paris was great and I will write more about that city in a later post. I felt like I was coming home when I got back to Madrid. It was less stressful, people were not as snooty, and it was a place I was used to quickly. The people of Madrid were all easy going and welcoming. This is not to say I would want to move to Madrid Spain. Yes, Madrid is worth visiting, but living there not so much. My next post is on things you might not like about Madrid.
Conclusion: Is Madrid Worth Visiting? Yes
Madrid is a wonderful city. It is not without its flaws, but I would love to return one day. The food the history and just the fun factor, I can’t imagine you would have a bad time seeing it. Certainly, schedule some time in the future to see Spain’s capital.
